Love breaks through with win at Disney

Nov 10, 2008 - 2:26 AM KISSIMMEE, Florida (Ticker) - Davis Love III broke through for his first victory in over two years on Sunday by winning the Children's Miracle Network Classic.

Love last won in 2006 at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro and waited until the final event of the 2008 season to put it all together. He closed by shooting 64-64 over the weekend and finished at 25-under-par 263.

"I putted extremely well the last two days, and you know, I've been watching guys like Zach Johnson and guys like that that have been putting really well on these Bermuda greens," Love said. "I said, I know how to putt these greens. Eventually they're going to start going in."

Love needed every one of his eight birdies on Sunday to hold off Tommy Gainey by one stroke. Gainey also closed with an 8-under 64, but it was not enough.

After making the turn at 3-under, Love got on an even better roll coming in. He birdied Nos. 10 and 11 and added another pair at Nos. 13 and 14. Love carded his final birdie of the day at the 16th and closed with a pair of clutch pars to seal the win.

"I was in trouble, but I was confident that I was going to get the ball up-and-down," Love said. "I wasn't thinking about winning or losing or screwing up. I was thinking about chasing that ball and getting it up-and-down."

With the win, Love picks up $828,000 and runs his PGA Tour victory total to 20, which earns him a lifetime exemption. Love joins Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh as the only active players with at least 20 wins.

"I've been trying not to think about what that meant and I haven't looked it up," Love said. "I've been saying all along I want to get to 20 because you can't get to 21 or 22 or 23 until you get to 20, and 20's been a long time coming.

"So I'm just thrilled to come out on top and to accomplish really what I wanted to do this fall was to get out and compete and play to win."

Scott Verplank and Steve Marino finished tied for third at 20-under after they each signed for a 71 on Sunday.

Gainey fired nine birdies and a bogey and putt pressure Love with birdies at Nos. 17 and 18 to close out the round. He came up short as far as winning the tournament goes, but earned $496,800 to go from No. 228 to No. 148 on the money list.

He also gets a pass into the final stage of Q-school, and being in the top 150 on the money list gives him conditional status which should mean about 15 starts next season.

"I'm real happy to have finished second because I was looking at going to second stage next week, and I just found out that I don't have to worry about second stage. I can go to Finals," Gainey said. "And I'm in the Sony next year. And I think I'm definitely assured of a place to play next year. So I'm definitely happy about that."